Christian Action League
By L.A. Williams, Correspondent
Political party platforms fluctuate. Candidates’ feelings flip-flop. But God’s word is eternal and, according to 2 Timothy, “profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.”
“That means it can and should instruct believers on what to do in the voter booth,” said the Rev. Mark Creech, executive director of the Christian Action League. “And it means we need to use truth as a measuring stick when comparing candidates’ actions and claims.”
Making those comparisons easier is one goal of Vote For Truth NC, a grassroots initiative led by Stanly County residents Jason and Amy Phibbs, who launched the www.votefortruthnc.com web site in mid-August to help Christians apply biblical values to November’s election. As pleased as they are to see the number of hits on the site growing — more than 200 visits from 10 states within the first two weeks — Jason Phibbs said there is much more work to be done.
“Pastors and churches across North Carolina will determine the impact of biblical values on this election,” he said. “If churches don’t get their congregations registered, informed, and to the polls, this site will have very little, if any impact. Everyone must get involved.”
While the Vote For Truth NC web site has garnered hits from 22 different cities and towns in North Carolina, the majority of visits are coming from Albemarle and surrounding areas, where Vote For Truth NC yard signs are starting to pop up.
Phibbs is hopeful that those who see the signs on their way to work or in a neighbor’s lawn will check out the site where they can quickly access more than a half-dozen candidate questionnaires or scorecards, print the forms they need to register to vote and help others at their church do the same. They can also watch videos of sermons about the role of biblical authority in politics, read a summary of the Manhattan Declaration and much more.
The privately funded initiative does not endorse candidates in any form or fashion, but makes clear its mission of getting Christians registered, informed, and to the polls.
“In 2008, there were approximately 281,000 unregistered Christians in NC, while only 14,000 votes separated the two major candidates for President,” the site shows, reminding believers that “your vote matters.”
Beyond the questionnaires and other tools that help individual voters assess candidates, the site offers clear legal guidelines for pastors and churches so that they can effect change in November without overstepping their bounds.
Hal Bilbo, lead missionary for the Stanly Baptist Association who helped Phibbs get his message to local pastors in a July 31 meeting, said he hopes the effort will help “link churches and Christians together with a single voice to herald truth, freedom and personal responsibility.”
Dr. Creech said Christians who haven’t logged into VotefortruthNC.com are missing a valuable resource, not only in making their own biblically based choices for November but in challenging others around them to do the same.
“In addition to getting people personally informed, this effort is about empowering believers, who may not be receiving leadership and instruction from the pulpit as to how to apply their deeply held beliefs to the political process, to go to their pastor and advocate for it,” he said. “Start the conversation and let your church leaders know that you will help with a voter drive or whatever it takes so that the body of Christ can be salt and light during this election season. Vote for Truth NC has the links, the resources and, most importantly the emphasis on God’s truth that churches need to make it happen.”
Take Christian Action: For more information, log into www.votefortruthnc.com. For a yard sign, phone the Stanly Baptist Association at (704) 982-1033 or contact Jason Phibbs directly at (704) 425-5214 or jphibbs@ctc.net.